Welcome to Community + Collaboration. This is a creator’s series to highlight genuine men & women in multiple industries for their work & individuality. We chose to feature people who have inspired us, as well as their own communities. We think these creators deserve more spotlight not only for their work, but the overtime they put into their craft. This is an opportunity for us to show that there is room for growth as a community, & there is room for EVERYONE to win. We hope that “Community + Collaboration” inspires you, we want you to see the struggle, the hustle, and the come up.

My name is Jazmyn Le, everyone calls me Jaz. I was born & raised in Las Vegas and still reside here as a Lead Photographer for ZEN (@zen). I've been in the streetwear industry for 12 years which led me into photography (shooting for about 10 years). I started off shooting plain product photos of t-shirts on tables for blogs then slowly moved my way up to professional online/on model photos, then to product photos for social media, all the way up to directing/shooting editorials which is my current role now.

L: What inspires you to create?

J: When I see something new or out of the ordinary I always put into perspective how I can incorporate something like that into my projects. Whether it's from food, fashion, or art, my eyes are always open to anything and everything that can excite me. If I am able to be the first to open someone's eyes and show them something they've never seen before then I'm satisfied.

L: What has been the highlight of your career?

J: As of right now I think the highlight of my entire career was working for KNYEW ("Keeping New York Everywhere," streetwear boutique created out of Las Vegas). It was really a breakthrough for me. I started here as a shop girl at 18 and left when I was 27. I applied for this job to get me through dental school. While working here I learned a lot about all of the ins and outs of a business. It was like a boot camp to train me for the future. Some days I would work 12-14 hours a day. I went from every role from cleaning the stockroom all the way up to VP of the company. This place taught me people skills, organization, managing, marketing, and everything else in between. I built a lot of important relationships I still take with me today, which I am very grateful for. Working here has molded me into the person I am now. I realized my passion was to stay in the creative industry.

L: Who are the top 3 people you look up to?

J: The first person I look up to is my aunt, who showed me how to be mentally strong and honest. She taught me how to work hard and to be unapologetic about who I am. Being a mother I now really appreciate my mom and realize all the things she has done for me and my brother. It isn't easy especially as a single mother. The last person I look up to would be my previous boss and good friend Crooked. I spent a lot of time with him over at KNYEW, he showed me a different way to look at life, to train my brain to look at all the possibilities and aspects of a situation. 

L: How do you hope to leave your mark & inspire others?

J: I hope to leave my mark through my work. I like my work to speak for itself. I hate promoting myself to others and talking about myself to get gigs, etc. Through my work and my art, I want people to see that I am versatile, hardworking, and serious about what I do. I would like to inspire others by showing them that if you stay true to yourself in the end it'll pay off. Right now social media is impacting people; some good, a lot bad. Don't believe everything you see on the internet. Don't follow, don't try to impress, and don't do anything that doesn't feel like you.

I wanted to highlight Jaz because she inspires me to do more with my photography. I know her only through Instagram, I followed her a couple years back and have kept up with the growth of her career. It is rare in the fashion/sneaker industry to have women photographers. She’s pushing the boundaries for female creatives to be looked at and respected. She’s a full-time mom and full-time creative but wears it so well. Her work shows the amount of sacrifice and time she has put into her craft.

Thank you Jaz for being a part of Community + Collaboration!

Follow Jaz on IG here